Changing Her Mind
by Dah Puzzle Masta
Summary: Emmy had something to tell Romilda, something she had been holding in for far too long... Contains spoilers for the Azran Legacy.


"Emmy, I can't thank you enough for what you've done for me!" Emmy looked up and smiled at the lovely Romilda. She had just recently helped save her from death and brought her together once more with the love of her life, Julien.

"It was the least I could do, Romilda! How on earth could I have left you there to die?"

"I don't know, Emmy, but I'm still very grateful. Other, more vicious souls would have left me… Betrayed me… Like everyone in town but Beatrix and Julien…" Emmy sighed at the sound of this. "What's wrong, Emmy?" No answer. "There's no one around. Julien took the others to show them how to make bread. Remember? You can tell me anything! We're friends now!" Emmy nodded as she stared into her steaming cup of tea.

"I-there's something-I can't take it anymore!" The tears fell quickly from her eyes as she struggled to hold them in.

'No!' She thought. 'She can't find out, no one was supposed to find out!'

"Emmy, what can't you take anymore of?" Romilda placed a gentle hand on Emmy's arm and offered her a sympathetic smile. "You want to talk about it?"

Emmy held back the tears. It was painful, and it was cruel. All of it!

"Professor Layton…" She started. She'd tried not to let even that out, but it slipped.

"What about him?" She had never let anything slip away from those lips of hers before-but once something came out, she couldn't hold the rest in…

She broke.

"The professor's trying to find the secret to the Azran civilization. So is this organization called Targent. He's trying to beat them… He and Professor Sycamore... But he has one of them with him at all times…" Romilda gave her a questioning look.

"What do you mean?"

"I work for Targent, Professor Sycamore told Layton that we were corrupt, and maybe we are. But two years ago, I was hired by my uncle, the leader of Targent, to follow Professor Layton around to report whatever he found on the Azran… I eventually have to betray him, them. I have to betray the man and the boy I've been fighting FOR two years now! I can't take it anymore! Romilda, HELP ME! PLEASE!"

Romilda wiped fast falling tears from her new friend's eyes.

"I have to finish the job, or else I may die… And lose the man who raised me at the same time."

"Don't betray them, Emmy."

"Did you not just hear me?"

"Yes, I did... Make it an act."

"Meaning?"

"Act like you're betraying them, and then, behind your uncle's back, make sure they know you're still on their side. Understand?"

Emmy was a little shocked.

"How did you know what to do so quickly?"

"I may have some experience with your situation... On a smaller scale. When I was a teenager, I loved Julien, but I was dating Piet… Long story short, I still owe Piet a date with a pretty girl. The thing is, there aren't any left! They all 'married the Drangenlord'…" Emmy smiled.

"I'll go on a date with him if you'd like. He's not so bad except for the running nose."

"No thank you, Emmy Dear. I need to find someone who can stay here with him. But thank you for offering." Emmy nodded.

"Thank you for your advice!"

Julien and the rest walked into the room.

"Emmy, we best take our leave." Professor Layton stated. Emmy nodded and turned to Romilda.

"Thanks again, goodbye."

"Goodbye, and good luck!"

She had never thought twice about betraying her 'friends' until her conversation with Romilda. She saved a woman she never met from the kindness of her heart, but she was going to betray the ones she had known so long, completely disregarding kindness? She didn't have feelings of any kind for them before… They were just part of her mission. Maybe that was the problem… But now she did. After that conversation, she began to look at things in a whole new light… It was a scary light, considering her near future.

LATER:

"When Romilda set me up on a blind date, I didn't think it would be with a pretty girl like you!"

Emmy smiled at her date.

"When Romilda told me she wanted to set you up, I didn't think I would be the one either! She said she wanted to set you up with someone who would stay in town! Who can have a chance with you if they leave?" She winked at Piet with a smile on her face.

"So, you're going to stay here in Hoogland?"

"Under one condition-" She pulled out a spray to help with running noses. "You have to start using this!" He smiled and took the spray from her.

"I will!"

"Good! I'm sure Felicia will be happy about it!"

"So, can we do this again sometime? Picnics by the chapel are surprisingly nice!"

"I don't see why not! I'm not going anywhere anytime soon!" She leaned forward and kissed Piet gently on the cheek. "But not for at least a week, that's how long that spray takes to cure your… condition."

LATER:

"What's that, Professor?" Luke asked as he watched his mentor set down a letter. "Is it another adventure?"

"No, Luke, My Boy." Layton answered. "But it is an invitation to the wedding of a close friend of ours!"

He handed Luke the letter and he read it. He smiled ear-to-ear.

"They all did say she would make a great bride there in Hoogland, didn't they?" The professor nodded.

"It will be nice to see a wedding there that doesn't involve that dreadful Drangenlord…"


End file.
